Bishop Kevin W. Vann

Earned a bachelor of science in medical technology from Springfield College and worked for three years as a medical technologist before entering the seminary in 1976.

Ordained in May 1981.

Served as a parish pastor in the Diocese of Springfield before he was installed as bishop of the Diocese of Fort Worth in 2005.

Is a leading member of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration and is considered an expert in canon law.

Fluent in Spanish and Italian; learning Vietnamese.

Source: Diocese of Orange

ORANGE – The incoming leader of the Diocese of Orange – a bishop from North Texas with the Virgin of Guadalupe stitched into his cowboy boots – promised to "love you and do my best to serve you" as he was introduced Friday.

Fort Worth Bishop Kevin Vann will succeed Bishop Tod D. Brown in December, becoming the fourth bishop to lead the nation's fastest-growing diocese. Brown has led the diocese through 14 years of growth, change and painful revelations of clergy sex abuse; he reached the mandatory retirement age of 75 late last year.

Vann said he sees similarities between Orange County and his diocese in North Texas, especially the fast pace of its growth and its diversity. In introducing him as the new bishop, the Orange County diocese highlighted his work to encourage immigration reform. He also oversaw the construction in Texas of one of the largest Catholic churches in the nation to serve a Vietnamese congregation.

He made headlines in 2004 when, as a church priest in his hometown of Springfield, Ill., he said he would be hesitant to give Communion to Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, because of Durbin's support for abortion rights.

Among Vann's immediate challenges will be overseeing the development of the Crystal Cathedral as the Catholic center of Orange County. He also takes over a diocese that has struggled for more than a decade with a clergy sex-abuse scandal.

Vann once publicly criticized his predecessor in Fort Worth for mishandling abuse cases: “I can’t defend the indefensible,” he said in a newspaper interview at the time. He also oversaw several abuse settlements during what the Fort Worth Star-Telegram described as a “tumultuous period of gut-wrenching exposure of child abuse.”

In Orange County, Vann pointed to a covenant authored by Brown that promised more accountability and help for victims as a “tremendous way to live and address that.” Victims and their attorneys have said the church’s actions have not lived up to those words.

Vann was formally introduced to Orange County during a press conference at the Marywood Pastoral Center on Friday morning, hours after Pope Benedict XVI announced that he would be the new bishop. Vann yanked off one of his black cowboy boots to show that it was embroidered with the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the patron saint of the Diocese of Orange.

The Diocese welcomed him with gifts of Oakley sunglasses, flip-flops, an Angels hat and a basket of oranges. Monsignor Michael Heher gave him a bottle of Windex: "You're going to have a cathedral that's made of glass."

Vann noted that Spanish-speakers in his North Texas congregation describe the church as "la familia de Dios," the family of God. He delivered his remarks in English and then in Spanish – and it was in Spanish that he added in an unscripted aside: "I'm very proud to be part of your family here in Orange."

He ended his remarks with the words, "In the name of the father, the son and the Holy Spirit, amen" – spoken in Vietnamese.

In this Feb. 22, 2012 file photo, Bishop Kevin Vann of the Fort Worth Roman Catholic Diocese answers questions from the media about Ash Wednesday at Holy Trinity Catholic School in Grapevine, Texas. BRANDON WADE, THE FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, BRANDON WADE, THE FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM
In 2006, the Rev. Kevin W. Vann, Bishop of the Diocese of Fort Worth, announces the release of personnel files of seven priests accused of sexual abuse at a news conference. Pope Benedict XVI on Friday announced the appointment of Vann as bishop to the diocese of Orange. RON T. ENNIS, THE FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, RON T. ENNIS, THE FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM
In this May 14, 2009 file photo, Bishop Kevin W. Vann, who oversees the Fort Worth Catholic Diocese, gets ready to throw out the first pitch as the Fort Worth Cats play the Grand Prairie AirHogs in the season home-opener. RODGER MALLISON, THE FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, RODGER MALLISON, THE FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM
Bishop Kevin Vann, 61, of Fort Worth, Texas, shows the crowd his cowboy boot with an embroidered image of the Virgin Mary. Vann will succeed Bishop Tod D. Brown who led the Diocese of Orange in Southern California for the last 14 years. The Vatican assignment was announced at a press conference Friday at the Marywood Pastoral Center in Orange. It is mandatory for Bishop Brown to retire at age 75. ANA VENEGAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Bishop Kevin Vann, 61, of Fort Worth, Texas, was presented with an Angels baseball cap. Vann will succeed Bishop Tod D. Brown who led the Diocese of Orange in Southern California for the last 14 years. ANA VENEGAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
The crowd applauds Bishop Kevin Vann, 61, of Fort Worth, Texas, as he shows the crowd an Angels baseball cap he was given. Bishop Kevin Vann will succeed Bishop Tod D. Brown who led the Diocese of Orange in Southern California for the last 14 years. ANA VENEGAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Bishop Kevin Vann, left, embraces Bishop Tod D. Brown, right, who he will succeed in leading the Diocese of Orange in Southern. The Vatican assignment was announced at a press conference Friday at the Marywood Pastoral Center in Orange. ANA VENEGAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Bishop Kevin Vann, left, and Bishop Tod D. Brown, right, pray at the end of a press conference that announced Vann's succession to lead he Diocese of Orange in Southern. Vann was presented with a basket of oranges at the conference. ANA VENEGAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Bishop Kevin Vann, 61, of Fort Worth, Texas, talks about his new assignment to lead the Diocese of Orange in Southern California. ANA VENEGAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Bishop Tod D. Brown, left, listens to Bishop Kevin Vann, 61, of Fort Worth, Texas at a press conference Friday. Vann will succeed Bishop Tod D. Brown who led the Diocese of Orange in Southern California for the last 14 years. ANA VENEGAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Sister Irma Gonzalez, left, and Sister Bertha Rafael, right, both sisters of John the Baptist, celebrate the new assignment of Bishop Kevin Vann as the new successor to Bishop Tod D. Brown of the Diocese of Orange in Southern California. ANA VENEGAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Bishop Kevin Vann, 61, of Fort Worth, Texas, right, accepts his new role to lead the Diocese of Orange in Southern California. Bishop Tod D. Brown, background left, led the Diocese of Orange in Southern California for the last 14 years and must retire at age 75. ANA VENEGAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Bishop Kevin Vann, 61, of Fort Worth, pulls on a cowboy boot with an embroidered image of the Virgin Mary at a press conference Friday. Vann will succeed Bishop Tod D. Brown who led the Diocese of Orange in Southern California for the last 14 years. ANA VENEGAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Bishop Kevin Vann, 61, of Fort Worth, Texas was presented with a pair of Oakley sunglasses at a press conference to announce his Vatican assignment to lead the Diocese of Orange in Southern California . ANA VENEGAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A small crowd applauds Bishop Kevin Vann as it was announced that he will succeed Bishop Tod D. Brown of the Diocese of Orange in Southern California. ANA VENEGAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Auxiliary Bishop Dominic M. Luong, left, applauds as it was announced that Bishop Kevin Vann will succeed Bishop Tod D. Brown of the Diocese of Orange in Southern California. ANA VENEGAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Bishop Kevin Vann, left, greets Auxiliary Bishop Dominic M. Luong, right, as he arrives to a press conference with Bishop Tod D. Brown, center, on Friday. ANA VENEGAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Sister Irma Gonzalez, right, kisses Bishop Kevin Vann's hand as Sister Bertha Rafael, right, looks on. Bishop Kevin Vann is the new successor to Bishop Tod D. Brown of the Diocese of Orange in Southern California. ANA VENEGAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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